Individual Truth

By Rabbi Daniel Travis

Shimon and Levi are a pair; instruments of violence are their wares.
(Bereshith 49:5)

Yaakov criticized Shimon and Levi's violent behavior; he also condemned
them for having copied Esav's behavior.1 If we look objectively at our own
behavior, we will see that much of it is mimicry of the behavior of others,
and is not really our own at all. The Torah encourages a person to find his
own individual path, and does not view imitation of the behavior of others
in a favorable light.2 In Parshath Bereshith, the Torah says, "Kayin
brought some of his crops as an offering to the Almighty. Hevel also
offered some of the firstborn of the flock, from the fattest ones...When
they happened to be in the field, Kayin rose up against his brother Hevel
and killed him."3 If mitzvoth have the power to protect one from danger,
why didn't Hevel's fine offering to God protect him from Kayin's jealousy?
Since he had merely copied the idea from Kayin, Hevel's offering was not
powerful enough of a mitzvah to protect him from death.4

When we hear inspiring stories about great Torah personalities, it is very
commendable for us to think about their ideas and behavior, and to try to
incorporate their strengths into our own lives. However, since we don't
necessarily have the same strengths, rather than trying to imitate their
behavior, it is preferable that we take from them whatever we can use to
enhance our own individual avodah (spiritual work).

Lot, for instance, risked his life to fulfill the mitzvah of hosting
guests, but he was saved from the destruction of Sodom for an altogether
different reason. When Avraham said that Sarah was his sister, Lot did not
reveal to the Egyptians that Sarah was Avraham's wife when they traveled to
Egypt.5 Lot earned great merit when he kept Avraham's secret, for he did so
of his own accord, whereas the idea of hosting guests had been ingrained in
him while he lived in Avraham's house; performing that mitzvah was not a
product of his own initiative. Thus, although he had risked his life for
the mitzvah, it was not considered as great a deed as was his keeping
silent in Egypt.6

Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach used to daven at the Kotel in the Old City of
Jerusalem every motza'ei Shabboth. He attended a minyan that was led by a
particular tzaddik. When the tzaddik passed away, Reb Shlomo Zalman stopped
attending that minyan. Asked why he discontinued his motza'ei Shabboth
custom, he responded that the tzaddik who had organized the minyan had a
special style of prayer that had been very moving. When he passed away, the
person who took over the minyan tried to imitate his style. Since his
imitation was merely superficial, Reb Shlomo Zalman felt that his prayers
constituted sheker. He so despised any hint of sheker that he could no
longer bring himself to attend that minyan.7